WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 7 Amnesia

Li XiWang sat next to her parents, one on either side. Wei Ying kissed the top of her head.

"Well done, little rabbit. How do you feel?"

"Exhilarated." She put her hands in her abdomen. "Tingly. Here."

She had just come out of an intense session of meditation.

Lan Zhan patted her head, catching Wei Ying's eyes. He nodded, imperceptibly.

Wei Ying took in a deep breath.

"Little rabbit, we have something to ask you."

"What?" She beamed at him, eyes shining with love.

Wei Ying loved her so much right then. Flowers bloomed in his heart for his little girl.

"So do you remember that last time, we were on the beach? You saved your father."

She shook her head. "I don't remember anything."

"What is the last thing you remember?" Wei Ying wanted to extinguish that glimmer of fear in her eyes.

"Uncle XiChen was passing spiritual energy to me. I remember feeling the waves at my feet. Then I saw you both, fathers." She looked at both of them now. "What happened? Why can't I remember?"

Lan Zhan picked her up to sit on his lap, his strong arms around her. Wei Ying scooted closer.

"Don't worry, little rabbit, it's fine. On that day, you saved us."

Wei Ying glanced at Lan Zhan. He knew he would understand; without one, the other would cease to exist. Therefore saving one, meant saving the other as well.

"I did?"

"Yes, you went into a trance and that's why your hair became white, just that one lock." Wei Ying touched it lovingly.

"And your eyes." Lan Zhan said.

He was looking at her with such affection and love, Wei Ying wanted to remember this moment forever.

"What happened to my eyes?"

"Just for a few minutes, your eyes became a silvery white colour, and you spoke differently." Wei Ying added.

"It is alright if Li XiWang does not remember." Lan Zhan said.

Wei Ying agreed. There was no reason to make the child panic by scaring her. And if he was honest, they had nothing much solid to go on.

"It's alright, little rabbit. Please don't worry yourself." He smiled, reassuring her.

"Would you like to come with me to visit with Uncle Ning? We can go later on today."

Lan Zhan stared at him because this was the first he was hearing about this.

"I just thought of it!" Wei Ying defended himself, laughing and holding up three fingers to his temple.

******

Wen Ning came out of his cottage when they got closer. Li Xiwang held on to Wei Ying's hand only until he came out, because by then, Wei Ying was already running towards him.

"Wen Ning, I missed you so much!" They held each other tightly.

Li Hua came out of their home, carrying Wen Qing Gao, who was now a toddler.

"I can't believe so much time has passed by, Wen Ning." Wei Ying stepped away from him to greet the baby. "We really should visit more often. I feel...as if I'm disconnected."

"We are always here, and you are always welcome." Li Hua told them.

Li Xiwang was currently holding the toddler and pointing out all the different flowers growing in Wen Ning's garden. Something she did made the boy laugh boisterously.

The child had an infectious laugh, and they were all smiling, watching them play.

Wen Ning tugged on his sleeve, and when Wei Ying turned to look at him, he pulled him slightly away from everyone.

"Are you alright, Master Wei? You seem troubled."

Wei Ying tried to smile but it didn't seem to be working.

"There's a lot going on." He said carefully. "And if you really want to know, can I come back without the kids?" He looked pointedly at his daughter.

"Of course." Wen Ning replied, looking puzzled.

"Here." Li Hua dumped the baby in his arms. "Children can make you forget your worries."

Wei Ying stared at the kid who gurgled with chubby laughter, rosy cheeks and a wide toothless smile.

"You're so cute, little one." He smiled genuinely then, and realized that Li Hua was right. He stroked a sun-kissed finger along the chubby curve of his cheek.

Children had a way of making you focus only on them, and their needs, and because that was of the utmost importance in that moment, it allowed a break from whatever stress was happening.

They spent a good few hours playing and enjoying their time together.

Wei Ying found he felt less burdened as they said their goodbyes.

"Did you have fun, SiZhui?" He asked.

Li XiWang was between them and they were swinging her up as they walked, smiling when she giggled every time.

They met Daden Yaonu just inside the gates of Cloud Recesses.

"I think it's time we went home." She told them. "We will definitely come back to visit, or you can come and meet us." She told the little girl, who looked upset.

"When are you leaving?" She whispered.

"I think we can stay for one more night, but tomorrow morning, definitely we should go. The Cold Pond is too small for Shui." She smiled kindly.

"Can we go and play with him?" Li XiWang asked.

"It's a little bit late..." Wei Ying changed what he was going to say. "Okay, but not for long."

Li XiWang squealed and dragged SiZhui with her.

"Thank you for coming to see us all the way here." Wei Ying told Daden Yaonu. "I keep meaning to tell you. Li XiWang has missed you and her uncles and aunts terribly."

"Were you able to ask her about what happened? When she cured Lan WangJi?" Daden Yaonu asked, interested.

"Yes, but she doesn't remember anything." Wei Ying sighed.

They walked towards the Jingshi.

Wei Ying led her to the bench under the Great magnolia tree. The evening breeze gifted them the sweetest scents of magnolia and honeysuckle, and nature threw her canopy of stars upon the night sky blanket.

They sat in peaceful silence, enjoying the last birdsong before nightfall.

"I get the feeling that Li XiWang doesn't like it here as much as she did there, in the Crystal Realm." Wei Ying admitted.

"If she lived there, she would miss you, her parents too much." Daden Yaonu told him.

Wei Ying felt grateful for that. It was one thing to love his children unconditionally, but to be told by someone else that it was reciprocated, was like yoghurt on a burn.

"Thank you." He said simply.